Caerdan Firestar
Introduction Knight-Master Caerdan Firestar is a member of the Blood Knight order and a veteran of the war in Northrend. Previously affiliated with the Blood Knights 7th Regiment, the Sunguard, and the Hammer of Liadrin, Caerdan is presently operating autonomously against the Twilight's Hammer. A Sin'dorei of slightly tall and very muscular stature, he is an expert warrior, his martial abilities far surpassing his prowess as a wielder of the Light. He is well-known for his unrelenting hatred of all Trolls -- Amani, Darkspear, or otherwise, though his opinion of the other Horde races has softened somewhat since the Shattering of Azeroth. He is also a skilled and studied linguist, speaking Thalassian, Common, Orcish, Taurahe, and Dwarven with varying degrees of skill, and has studied small amounts of various other written languages. Background Born the only son of Arenil Firestar and his wife Elaene, Caerdan grew up as the son of a soldier, learning to wield a sword from his father at a young age. He also inherited his mother's affinity for language, and quickly mastered several tongues throughout his studies in his youth. At the age of 83, Caerdan fought alongside his father when Quel'thalas' army was mobilized during the Second War. Despite his pedigree as a soldier's son and his extensive training, Caerdan's performance was nevertheless unremarkable; he served as a competent and reliable soldier, but failed to distinguish himself on the field of battle. Years later at 97 years of age, when Arthas led his army of undead minions into Quel'thalas, Caerdan again found himself on the front line of war. His father was killed by the Scourge, and a grieving Caerdan was left with an isolated unit of High Elven warriors as the undead rampaged through Quel'thalas. Caerdan's unit waged a series of desperate, stalling defensive battles against the Scourge, fighting tooth and nail to buy time for the surviving citizens of Silvermoon as they fled for their lives. Eventually, Caerdan and his compatriots were forced to flee, leaving their home to be utterly destroyed by Arthas and his dark army. After wandering with his mother and their group of refugees, Caerdan would eventually return to Silvermoon when it was rebuilt, remaining at home in Quel'thalas while Kael'thas traveled to Outland. In-Character History 'Blood Knights 7th Regiment' When he finally returned to Silvermoon during its reconstruction, Caerdan sought membership and was inducted into the Blood Knights as an Initiate. Assigned to the Blood Knights 7th Regiment after his training, Caerdan was among those Blood Knights charged with defending Silvermoon against outside threats from Scourge remnants, savage trolls, and any other forces hostile to the Blood Elves' home. During his tenure, he climbed through the ranks and was eventually named Knight-Captain of the Phoenix Squadron, one of the 7th Regiment's three units. It was also during this time that he became noted for his often racist attitudes toward the other Horde races, and drew some criticism from his officers for his public support of the Sin'talah, or "Blood Party" of Sin'dorei exceptionalists. 'First Tour in Northrend' After serving in the 7th Regiment, Caerdan was sent to Northrend to join in the fight against the Lich King in Icecrown. Caerdan enjoyed some degree of autonomy in his operations in the north, and trained and battled for some time at the Argent Tournament, earning the right to stand among Silvermoon's champions at the tournament. However, his promising performance at the tournament, as well as his successful and bloody campaign against the Vrykul of Ymirheim, were cut short when he was injured during a brief engagement between the Orgrim's Hammer and the Skybreaker. While battling with Alliance skirmishers aboard the Orgim's Hammer's deck, he was struck heavily on the shoulder by a Human Paladin, receiving a deep wound that sent him back to Silvermoon on medical leave. 'The Sunguard' Upon returning home from the north, Caerdan nursed his injuries in Silvermoon while surveying the situation at home. Despite his injured condition, Caerdan couldn't bring himself to sit on the sidelines for long; he soon approached Felthier Truefeather and enlisted in the Sunguard. As a Dawnward, Caerdan participated in a number of campaigns against the forces of the Alliance, sating his thirst for battle while recuperating his injuries sustained in the north. 'Second Tour in Northrend' As the time for the final assault against Icecrown Citadel drew near, Caerdan withdrew from the Sunguard and returned to Northrend to lend his aid to the final war effort. Caerdan was among many who battled outside of Icecrown Citadel, slaying countless Scourge as a team of elite heroes made their way inside the Citadel to slay the Lich King. With his shoulder scarred, but fully healed, Caerdan put on a vicious performance, slaying countless of the Scourge's finest minions at the gates of Icecrown, littering the ground with the broken limbs of the undead while the Lich King met his demise inside. With victory won, Caerdan was relieved of his responsibilities in Northrend and returned home to Silvermoon. 'The Shattering of Azeroth' During his brief tenure as a leading Knight-Master with the short-lived Hammer of Liadrin led by Arrodis Lightfury, Caerdan was sent to Orgrimmar to aid the Horde capitol's defenders in repelling the relentless assaults of the fire and earth elementals that struck the city day and night. Sleeping in a local inn converted into a temporary volunteer barracks, Caerdan waged a furious battle against the elementals, and gained a newfound respect for Orcs and Tauren in the process -- particularly due to his occasional battles alongside the warriors of the Kor'kron Legion, whose strength and tenacity impressed the Blood Elf considerably. 'War With the Alliance' Garrosh Hellscream's aggressive maneuvers led to a renewal of the bitter struggle between Alliance and Horde, and Caerdan welcomed the new Warchief with some admiration. Finding Garrosh's ruthless assaults against the Alliance to his liking, Caerdan quickly sought a way to get involved in the fighting after the Hammder of Liadrin was dissolved shortly after the Shattering. This search led the veteran Blood Knight to the Dominion of the Sun, with whom he participated in several battles against Alliance forces on the mainland. As in his past, Caerdan's fighting skills were an asset to the forces of the Horde, and he earned his share of accolades in combat. However, Caerdan began to display signs of a rapid decline into uncontrollable rage and instability. Several gruesome battlefield executions, coupled with an increasingly unstable mood and several violent outburts at friend and foe alike drew the attention of his immediate superiors in the Blood Knight order, and it was by a direct command from the order that he was withdrawn from combat and sent on a forced sabbatical leave. 'Sabbatical at Quel'Danas' Caerdan was sent north of Silvermoon to the Isle of Quel'Danas, where he was strictly ordered to spend time on a mental retreat, devoting his time to contemplation and reflection, training only enough to maintain his martial proficiency. Because of this retreat, Caerdan remained in Dawnstar Village throughout the duration of the Horde's campaign in Pandaria. Category:Category:Horde Category:Horde Category:Blood Elf Category:Horde Paladin Category:Paladin